Sorry - had to edit this chapter again as it had a few typos in it. I actually mis-spelled the Shield too at one point! What an idiot! Next chapter up soon. Thanks for your reviews, follows and favs. You are all so great. X
Hi everyone. Hope you are all ok and enjoying the Road to Wrestlemania! Blimey, it's hard going without Dean Ambrose on the TV every week but at least we have Seth and Roman to help us through. A short chapter is here for you - ten points for anyone who guesses which promo this chapter is inspired by!? Please review and don't worry, the heat levels will rise again in the next few chapters. Xxx
It was over a week since Caitlin had read Dean's note. The Vegas trip seemed a long time ago. She burned with anticipation for days longing to see him again. Playing out every possible conversation and situation in her mind while staring out of the plane window on her way to New York, where the show was being held. She wondered what he meant. 'Need to see you again." It was both clear and vague at the same time. It could mean anything. She hoped against hope that he felt something for her deep down in his apparently heartless soul, but who could tell? At least he had followed it up with 'Be ready for us.' That sentence was crystal and she squirmed with pleasure at its promise.
Attending Monday Night Raw was exciting at the best of times. Nowhere in sport or entertainment would you find a frenzied crowd so invested in what was happening in and out of the ring. The noise, the music, the lights, the colourful superstars, handsome men and beautiful strong women - heroes and villains playing out an action packed soap opera every week in the middle of a sell out arena was thrilling.
Caitlin had never been to a show on her own before. She'd dragged Amy along a few times who didn't really get it. It was slightly nerve wrecking but with her heightened senses she fangirled out of her mind as she took her ringside seat. An actual ringside seat. It was the holy grail of every wrestling fan. For the first hour she just enjoyed every match, promo and segment, listening with pure enjoyment to the fans around her who cheered and booed in deafening delight. Not minding the smell of beer, hotdogs and popcorn that mixed in with the fug of pyrotechnics. The longer the show went on, the more her heart pounded with anticipation for the main event, knowing that the Shield's arrival was imminent.
SIERRA. HOTEL. INDIA. ECHO. LIMA. DELTA. SHIELD! Their music pounded to a deafening beat as spotlights searched for the section where they would make their entrance. Thousands of pairs of eyes followed then a massive roar broke out as the Shield stood motionless at the top of a flight of stairs and surveyed their adoring universe below like subjects in an alternate kingdom.
After a few seconds, Dean murmured and nodded at his two team-mates signalling they should commence their descent to the ring. The crowd on either side of the steps closed in, cheering and slapping their broad backs, clamouring for a fist bump or touch of a hand. Dean clenched his fists and pressed his forearms together, shouldering people out of his way, his beautiful face unsmiling. Roman generously touching a hand here and there, as did Seth. All three looked serious, like there was something on their minds as they hopped the barrier. Dean effortlessly so, jumping over by swinging a leg across the top in the technique of an Olympic hurdler. Seth doing his trademark ninja roll over the black padded wall with ease, then beating on his chest; and Roman, less elegantly heaving his muscular frame over but making up for it by majestically posing on the ring steps.
All three climbed the ropes, arms aloft, pointing and posing to encourage the audience to continue their wall of noise. God, they knew how to work a crowd. They hadn't yet uttered a word but the fans were eating out of their hands already. They jumped down and strode across the ring towards the corner by the timekeeper's section, demanding to be given microphones. Black T-shirted minions scrambled to hand one each to them. Now armed with a mic each, they kept everyone waiting as they prowled around until the arena stilled with anticipation to an excited hum.
Disappointingly, not one of the Shield seemed to have noticed that Caitlin was there and she let the breath out she had been holding onto and tried to quell the gutted feeling that was permeating every part of her. Maybe he had forgotten he had asked her to come. Maybe she should leave. Taking one last look at Dean, she was about to gather her bag from the floor when his eyes found hers. He did remember. He knew which seat she would be in. It was as if he knew what she was about to do, knew what she was thinking. The shock of recognition tazered the breath back into her lungs. The look he gave was only perceptible to her as it was brief but intense. He was about to start his promo but he paused for a fraction of a second, the slightest hint of a smirk graced his lips and he and Roman exchanged a glance. Roman too flicked his gaze to her and winked. Seth noticed this and on finding her too, narrowed his eyes and Caitlin swore he cursed under his breath too.
Dean as always started the promo off, his voice rough and growling. She could listen to him recite a dictionary such was his charisma on the mic. He was mesmerising.
"The Shield is the most dominant faction in the business. Period!"
He bumped fists with Roman to emphasise the point but Seth stood slightly apart and he and Dean gave each other an obvious dirty look. Wow. That was odd. The fans started to murmur having noticed it too.
"Together we will destroy anyone who dares to stand in our way. They know that. They fear us. Anyone who's smart should fear us. But rumours have started to circulate that there is a crack in the Shield and I stand before you tonight to smash those rumours to pieces."
Roman interjected. "That's right Dean. We've always got each other's back. Haven't we… Seth?"
Seth scrubbed a hand over his beard and smirked mirthlessly. "Well, let me see," he said drawing out the tension. "That depends on whether we are all on the same page! Recently… I'm not sure we have been."
The arena shouted out NO in disbelief, clearly worried that the Shield was about to break up.
Seth held a hand up and continued. "I'm sure the fans in this arena would love to hear all the gory details but let's just say the Shield had a slight disagreement last weekend."
Caitlin froze. The Shield were in the middle of a promo on Monday Night Raw and were arguing about her! Jesus. She thought that they ran to a script from creative but unless she was very much mistaken this promo was the real deal and it was about to escalate.
Dean shouted into his mic. "If there's one thing I will not tolerate. One thing I can't stand is being lied to by someone that I trust."
Seth was on the left, Dean on the right and Roman in the middle as they faced off.
"Alright, look. I get it," said Seth. "If we are talking about the issue I think you are talking about. Lying to you was not what I should have done. Maybe it wasn't the most opportune time to prove a point."
"And what point was that, Seth? C'mon tell me?" exclaimed Dean.
"You've moved the goalposts, man. The Ambrose I know would not do what he did last weekend."
She knew what Seth was getting at even if the thousands of fans sitting with her didn't. He meant Dean taking Caitlin's side over his. Seth must have admitted to Dean that he lied about her coming on to him in the club when Amy had run off. As much as she felt encouraged at Dean's words, she did not want to be the reason for the Shield breaking up. Now that she was here, seeing them do what they do so well, she couldn't allow that to happen. Even if it meant making up with Seth somehow.
"Things don't stay the same, man," said Dean. "We need to evolve. Maybe I'm tired of the direction we are taking, huh? You ever thought about that?"
That comment seemed to sting Seth, he shook his head. "Nah, nah, nah, we're fine as we are. But, I need to get something out of my system." He flung his mic to the floor and punched Dean across the jaw. The arena erupted in shock as Dean fell to the floor clutching his mouth, cursing furiously.
"What the hell was that?" shouted Roman, getting up in Seth's face as Dean slowly rose up looking mutinous.
Seth had picked up his mic. "That felt good!" he shouted. "That felt great and now I've got that out of my system…maybe you should get something out of your system. Yeah, I'm gonna do what I do best and take one for the team."
He had barely finished speaking when Dean socked him clean in the mouth sending the Architect sprawling on the canvas.
Seth got unsteadily to his feet but did not fly at Dean as Caitlin thought he would. Instead he grimaced as spoke again. "Feel better?" he asked Dean, who just glowered as he shook the sting off his knuckles. "We can go our separate ways and we will be fine because we're all talented individuals or we can do what we do best and still run this yard and be the Shield!"
He clenched his fist and put it out there for their salute. "Are we done here?" He chuckled briefly, then looked serious again. "Or are we done?"
Roman walked up to him, his face severe. No one knew if he would fist up too or use a certain superman punch on his friend. He deliberated for a long minute, studying Seth's face, then flexed his beautiful tattooed arms and posed, fist closed right next to Seth's. They both turned to look at Dean. The whole wrestling world held its breath to see if he would join them and ensure the continuation of the most dominant faction ever.
Caitlin barely dared to look, so caught up in the drama. Then slowly the Lunatic Fringe stepped towards the middle of the ring. He was cursing and talking to his two team-mates but what he was saying, only those three men knew. A huge cheer of relief broke out as he stabbed out his fist next to Seth and Roman. Their music hit. The Shield was still intact. For now.